Going vegan has changed my life.

The benefits are hard to comprehend when you’re still in love with the idea of eating meat, wearing leather, and having no believed “restrictions.”

“No way, I could never, ever go vegan,” I said many times before going vegan and so many people still say it to me now.

A big life change takes energy; it requires a mental shift, habit changes, and new ways of carrying yourself. It means explaining this change to others and being part of a brand new community.

Going vegan affects your identity.

It’s not just a dietary choice. It’s a way of seeing the world; a way of showing up in the world.

People have such adverse reactions to the five letter word v-e-g-a-n.

Their perception is that they’re going to be put into a box and judged. Others will see them as weird, or even extreme.

I asked a veterinarian once if she was vegan. I mean, her profession is based on loving and helping animals after all. Before I could finish my sentence she blurted out, “No way, I’m not vegan,” as if I had asked if she had AIDS.

This perception of veganism is a multi-faceted one that I see in a completely different way than the vet.

I see one side of the perception as empowering.

I see another as the way of the future.

I see it as the #1 option to save our planet.

I see one more side as our way of fighting the slavery we’ve forced animals into.

I also see the weight in the fact that veganism can be called the world peace diet.

That is a damn powerful perception.

Yet, when I ask an “animal loving” veterinarian if she’s vegan, she scoffs at such a ludicrous question.

I wonder why so many people are so terribly afraid of veganism.

I go back to my pre-vegan days and I remember thinking that I hated the idea of being a pain in the ass at dinner. I didn’t want to inconvenience anyone. I wanted to be the “I’m easy” diner and guest.

I loved being able to “eat like the guys” and prove my worth somehow that way.

I didn’t want to have to worry about reading labels or not eating some of my favorite things. I didn’t want to have to be the odd person out when people were enjoying something not-vegan.

In a weird way, I liked making fun of vegans too. I mean, everyone else was doing it, why not join in?

Now I know why people are so afraid of veganism. I remember.

I mentioned in this article, that when I went vegan, I didn’t really want to change. For all of the reasons I just mentioned…and then some.

Life before veganism was easy.

Life before veganism was not judged.

Who wants to consciously, actively chose not easy + judgement?

That’s where I believe the barrier is.

You’re either a person who crosses into the challenging, judgmental zone.

Or you're the one who says, “Nah, I’m good with the easy, non-judged side.”

The moment you decide -- for whatever reason -- that you want to be the former, your life goes to infinitely better places.

From your skin to your core, your life changes and improves like black and white TV to 4k HD color TV. I guarantee it.

If you decide to remain the latter, you’ll never experience that 4k HD color TV that vegans see. Your world of black and white TV may seem wonderful, easy, and perfect. But, truthfully, you have no idea what you’re missing.

Going vegan is a way of taking on board your actual ability to change the world. Real, true change for this chaos of a planet we live on.

When it comes to food, eating vegan has never been easier or more convenient.

When it comes to fashion & cosmetics, buying vegan and cruelty free is becoming the norm.

When it comes to the animals, being vegan means being a true animal lover. Not one who loves some and eats others.

When it comes to the environment, veganism IS the way we’ll stop our beautiful rainforests from being destroyed, our glaciers from melting, our weather from acting so dramatically, and our oceans from being poisoned.

When it comes to veganism, it’s the only way.

Slowly but surely, people are realizing these things.

When snowstorms bury their house and they learn about global warming, they find out veganism can help.

When their artery-clogged heart is about to kill them, they learn about veganism so they can live to see their grandchildren.

When they see an animal being treated horribly and realize they would never want their own dog to be treated that way, they connect the dots and go vegan.

More and more people are understanding that vegans are not extremists. They’re not crazy. They haven’t lost their way.

They’re doctors and lawyers.

They’re graphic designers and engineers.

They’re architects and teachers.

They’re hair stylists and air traffic controllers.

They’re normal people trying to make this world, their health, and the treatment of animals a better place.

The moment someone decides to make the change, the fear of navigating it all can be overwhelming, which is probably why so many people back off of the idea.

But for those who don’t, they’ll need to learn:

How to shop.
How to cook.
How to speak to people about it.
What the health implications are.
What’s okay to wear or use.
How to order food in a restaurant.
How to be at a dinner party as the only vegan.
How to live vegan beyond their plate.

There is so much to navigate, learn, understand, and live by all whilst going up against a non-vegan world.

That’s why I’m creating a course for new vegans to navigate all of that.

I’m creating the course I wish I had when I was in my early days of adopting the lifestyle.

I’m not convincing people to go vegan. That’s not my role in the course.

My role is to be there for a new vegan once they decide to make the change for themselves.

I want to be their guide, their support, their sounding board, their friend and teacher through it all.

I didn’t have anyone guiding me through the transition. I was on my own and had to put the pieces together one by one until I figured it out. At any point, I could’ve turned back and said, “No way, this is too much.”

But, I solidified my “why” after hours and hours of documentary watching, book reading, and scientific study investigating.

And that’s what I’d like to help people do.

First, I will assist them in solidifying their why so they can keep moving past the fear threshold of being vegan.

Next, I’ll show them the world of compassionate change-makers who are proud to be represented by that brave five letter word.

Then, I will guide them through the acclimation process so that every single day, they’re reminded that they’re helping to build a better world.

Lastly, my goal is to help them become confident vegans who know how the lifestyle fits in with their identity and what they’ll do with that understanding moving forward.

If this type of course interests you in any way, please enter your name below and you’ll be placed on a waiting list.

When the course is ready, you’ll be the first to know and I’ll be sure to share all of the details with you.

The world needs more compassion and empathy than ever before.

I invite you to be a part of this change.

Thank you for reading.

All my love,

Kelsey

Why I’ve Decided To Create a Course About Veganism